Tracy doing his part to jump-start Stewart’s bat

Posted By
Jim Armstrong
On
July 9, 2011 @ 4:41 pm
In
Game Day |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The all-star break is just over the dashboard and Ian Stewart is hitting .082.

Stewart was at 3-for-47 when he was sent down a second time to Triple A Colorado Springs. He was 2-for-14 since his return going into tonight’s game.

But there was Stewart’s name in the Rockies’ lineup, just as it was the night before against a left-hander, John Lannan. The message is clear: The Rockies are going to give Stewart an extended look to see if he can get his bat going and avoid a lost season.

“The only way we’re going to get him going offensively is to have him out there in the lineup,’’ said Rockies manager Jim Tracy. “He’s not going to get anything going sitting next to us on the bench. And there’s no getting around the type of defense he brings to the table as a third baseman.’’

Stewart, whose April was stifled by knee and hamstring problems that kept him sidelined for most of spring training, is appreciative of the opportunity after two stints in Triple A.

“I feel good,’’ said Stewart. “I feel like all the work I did at Colorado Springs, I brought up here. They let me play against Lannan, and that’s awesome. We’ll see where it goes from here.

“I think I’ve got to earn more than just the five or six starts I’m getting now. I did enough in Triple A to come back up. Now I’ve got to show I can stay here.’’

Said Tracy: “We’re trying to balance the scales of feeling as though he’s getting consistent, regular at-bats to give him an opportunity to get himself on track, and yet we’re also trying to stay in the race, too.’’